


The Sword of Damocles

by YumKiwiDelicious



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Gaara pining, Lee being oblivious, M/M, Mahoutokoro (Harry Potter), Probably going to change the title, Temari meddling, Werewolves, Wizards, bondmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:20:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27903616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumKiwiDelicious/pseuds/YumKiwiDelicious
Summary: Gaara, a third-year student at the Mahoutokoro School of Magic, and a werewolf, spontaneously bonds with Rock Lee, a loud fourth-year, and things get worse from there.|| HogwartsAU ||
Relationships: Gaara/Rock Lee
Comments: 39
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Damocles is a character who appears in an anecdote commonly referred to as "the Sword of Damocles", an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power.

Rock Lee woke up alone in the infirmary and winced when he felt a sharp pain near the back of his throat. His mouth felt tacky and dry as he rubbed tiredly at his eyes, a groan of displeasure trapped somewhere behind his discomfort. He hated causing a fuss, but hated it even more when the fuss was caused over something so embarrassingly muggle. Honestly, Lee couldn’t imagine a single one of his classmates having to be apparated away to deal with something as trivial as tonsillitis. 

The fourth year was all alone in the infirmary and moonlight poured in through the tall windows behind him. He tried and failed to swallow and assumed the minor surgery had gone rather well if they had allowed him to recover back at school. There on his bed his round eyes drooped, trying to fight off sleep and likely some sort of magical sedative as he squinted around the room. His bangs were sweaty and stuck to his forehead. It was dark, but surely Ameno-sensei had to be somewhere nearby to check on him.

“Hello?”

The word was hot coals down his throat and Rock Lee swayed forward on his narrow bed, feeling suddenly woosey with the pain. Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes and he fought back the urge to gasp as he circled ice cold fingers around his neck. Somewhere in the room a door opened and then a great big  _ something  _ jumped up onto his bed, covering his legs in a heavy warmth.

Lee managed to pry his eyes open only to be greeted by the sight of a large reddish brown wolf staring up at him, humongous paws stretched up towards his thighs. The black haired youth managed to stifle down his cry of alarm before it ripped a hole through his throat, but he still started backtracking across his sheets. There wasn’t much of anywhere to go and before he knew it, his back was pressed against the infirmary wall and the wolf was still close enough to touch. It blinked at Lee and he blinked right back owlishly, heart thundering in his chest.

The wolf narrowed its disturbingly bright eyes at the student and tilted its large head to the side in an oddly human gesture. Lee’s fingers fiddled at the bedsheets all around him, wishing he knew where they had stored his wand during his incapacitation. Where was Ameno-sensei?

“Lee-san?” Lee thanked his lucky stars as the very medi-witch he had just been praying for emerged from the darkness, wand at the ready and face concerned. “Is everything alright?”

Not willing to risk another go under the knife, the young man pointed fervently at the large beast still lounging practically across his lap. The wolf had not moved besides to turn his head at the woman’s approach, and did not look repentant at all as she shot it an irritated frown. Could wolves look repentant? Still, she paid the creature very little mind, noting how Lee had gestured rather than speak and moved up towards the head of the bed. On his bedside table was a collection of well wishes and sweets, no doubt from Tenten, but buried amongst the chaos was a tiny potion bottle that she plucked up and handed to him.

“Here,” she encouraged, “For the pain.”

Still concerned with the wolf, but more so with the pain in his throat, Lee accepted the potion with a polite bow of his head and finished it all in one go. It tasted absolutely awful and he felt a full body shiver go through him as the fire in his neck slowly receded. Setting the empty bottle down with a clatter, he gave Ameno a weak thumbs up.

“It does not taste very good,” he noted honestly, shoulders still up near his ears from the taste. The medi witch chuckled good naturedly and shrugged. 

“Well, I hear beggars can’t be choosers,” she mused, finally turning her attention to her patient’s unexpected visitor. “And what brings you here, Gaara? Keeping Lee company?”

The wolf, who had been watching the entire interaction dispassionately. Just tilted its large head at her, copper fur catching the moonlight as Lee balked. He turned to his caretaker and pointed stupidly again. "Wait,” he murmured, “Do you mean…? You called him Gaara-"

"Yes, Lee-san," Ameno agreed patiently, "This is Sabaku no Gaara."

"Sabaku no Gaara from the house of Toppuu?" Lee gasped in surprise. He took in the wolf with new eyes, noting that the reddish tint of its fur  _ did  _ match the third year boy he’d seen skulking around Mahoutokoro School of Magic. Likewise his piercing mint eyes were the spitting image of Gaara’s and suddenly Lee felt silly for not recognizing them sooner. He knew Gaara was a werewolf -everyone did- why hadn’t he realized this was him in his wolf form? He eyed the wolf with no small measure of awe and perhaps a hint of fear.

“Yes,” the medi witch concluded, moving to rearrange and tuck Lee’s bedsheets, totally unconcerned with the large animal weighing them down. If anything she seemed a bit put out by his presence. She joked, “I’m afraid he still has rather poor manners no matter what form he’s in.”

Gaara let out a low growl at the same time Lee gasped, “That is very rude Ameno-sensei!”

The woman took the correction with a mild hum and then straightened as she finished her busy work at the foot of the bed. Her hazel eyes were filled with mirth. She tapped the boy's toe beneath the blankets.

“If you think so, maybe you’d be so kind as to let him continue keeping an eye on you tonight,” she suggested lightly. Lee immediately shot a skeptical look at Gaara, but his lupine face was turned towards the medical witch who was already making her exit. “Play nice you two.”

She apparated away with a loud  _ ‘crack _ !’ and then they were alone in the infirmary with none but the empty beds to keep them company. Lee watched with trepidation as Gaara turned his head away from where Ameno had just been and set his muzzle down atop his paws. The fourth year tried not to think about the razor sharp teeth hidden within the mouth and instead cleared his throat awkwardly, glad the potion from earlier had made the silence shattering sound possible. 

“S-So, Gaara-san!” he stammered, trying to adopt an air of friendly interest, shaking fingers clasped together in his lap. “I am glad we have finally had a chance to meet! I hear you are an extremely talented wizard!”

This wasn’t a complete lie. Gaara, along with his older brother and sister who were in their fourth and fifth years respectively, were all very advanced in their classes. Gaara and Temari in particular were the only students in their years whose robes had already changed to a rich and vibrant gold color, indicating their higher skill level. The lie was that Lee was glad for a chance to meet the younger boy. He found his quiet countenance and intense gaze often unsettling and was more than a little jealous of his natural skill with magic. Lee’s robes were still embarrassingly barely passed pink. 

The thirteen year old boy currently trapped in a wolf’s body shot Rock Lee a rather insistent look. Wolves had surprisingly expressive faces - or perhaps that was just werewolves. Either way, the look seemed to be insisting that Lee and Gaara had met before. The older boy racked his brain for when this may have been. A few moments of quiet contemplation gifted his patience with a blurry memory of a pale face and worried eyes.

“Oh,” Lee pondered aloud, “The day I was taken to get my surgery you were there?” The wolf nodded and Lee struggled to remember more details. He had been fairly feverish at that point not to mention weak with hunger, his swollen tonsils having kept him from eating peacefully for days previous. The fourteen year old deduced that when he finally fainted in the Grand Hall he had fallen right into Gaara. “Well, that is quite embarrassing! My apologies!”

He bowed his head lowly over his blanket covered lap and got to enjoy the odd display Gaara made bowing back to him. Internally he was mortified that he had fainted so publicly, sure Neji would never let him live it down, but there was nothing for it he supposed. He distracted himself from the feeling by explaining in completely unnecessary details what it felt like to get a tonsillectomy and how the procedure was usually handled in the muggle world. Eventually Gaara, tired of the noise no doubt, crawled higher up on the bed and pushed Rock Lee down to lay on his back with a large paw. Ameno had already pulled the blanket up high around him and when Lee attempted to pull them down the red wolf growled lowly.

“Alright, I suppose it would be wise to rest now,” Lee agreed, muscling through a yawn as he wondered what time it even was. Gaara remained where he had crawled to, heavy body weighing the other boy down comfortably. “I hope no one makes too much of a fuss when I am released.” 

The wolf gave a derisive sort of snort from beneath its muzzle and Lee yawned again.

"You are probably right," he slurred, slipping into sleep between one breath and the next.

* * *

The next night Rock Lee found himself still confined to the infirmary bed, Ameno-sensei having ignored his fervent pleas to convalesce in the Yosamu tower. Hardly any time at all and already the fourth year missed the soft grasses and babbling brook of his house common room. The medi witch only told him that his father, Maito Gai, had warned her he would attempt to charm his way out of his recovery bed. She was prepared to stand strong against him until he was back to normal.

Still Ameno-sensei could not stay in the school infirmary all night; she had a life outside of work after all. So when the hour was late and the room quiet, Lee slipped from his bed, bottle of his next dose of pain potion tucked into his pajama pants pocket as he made his way towards the back of the medical wing of Mahotokoro. He would have headed towards the exit, but a pained groan had drawn his attention before he could reach the door. The source of the pitiful noise was easy enough to locate, and Lee blanched when he found Gaara, back in his human form, curled up in a large chair at the back of Ameno’s office. The light was on in there but enchanted not to shine passed the door frame.

“Gaara-san?”

“What’re you doing here?” the redhead hissed rudely, sweat gathering across his hairline and neck as he trembled there. Lee ignored his irate tone and stepped further into the room, concern for the younger student making him bolder.

“Are you sick? You look even paler than usual! Should I get Ameno-sensei?”

“Don’t come near me,” Gaara growled irately, curling in on himself, icy eyes telling Lee to back off. “Get out!”

“But, Gaara, you do not look well,” Lee observed, still inching closer as he tried to spot similarities between this boy and the wolf that had slept in his bed the night before. He was much, much smaller. “Should I call for your sister?”

Gaara’s next retort was cut off by another pained groan and suddenly it all clicked for Lee. There was a window in Ameno’s office and he glanced out of it only briefly to confirm his worries. The moon was full. He snapped his fingers.

“Are you shifting because of the full moon? Why do you fight it?” The redhead’s only response was a low whine from back in his throat and the older boy winced sympathetically, closing the last bit of space between them. He squatted down beside Gaara’s seat and with only a slight hesitation rested his hand on the other boy’s back in a comforting gesture. “I am sorry you are unwell.”

Rock Lee retracted his hand almost immediately because as soon as he made contact, Gaara’s head picked up with a jerk. Lee fidgetted awkwardly, tucking his fingers behind his bent knees as his eyes flitted away. The younger boy was looking at him like he had three heads and his breath was evening out as his skin started to regain what little color it usually had.

In a rasping voice he whispered, “What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing!” Lee insisted, pulling himself to his feet as he noticed Gaara was starting to look a bit better. “Maybe the clouds covered the moon.” He took a hesitant step back and again tried to find something to do with his hands as he looked all around the tiny medical office. “Where are your sister and brother? Won’t they be shifting too?”

“Temari is mature enough to control it and Kankuro goes to the forest,” Gaara murmured absently, still watching the Yosamu student bemusedly. “How did you do that?”

“The woods? Isn’t that dangerous?” the black haired youth wondered, suddenly feeling very nervous for any poor soul that may cross a young werewolf’s path out in the dark.

“Not for Kankuro.” Gaara was moving on autopilot it seemed as he finally raised himself from Ameno’s guest chair. His red hair was tacky and limp on his head, but his eyes were bright and clear as he stalked Lee across the room. He was sniffing lightly at the other boy. “No...it can’t be…”

“Can not be what, Gaara-kun?” Lee tested the honorific and immediately dismissed it as too awkward. Technically, he was a year ahead of Gaara and therefore his senpai, but it felt too strange to call the young wizard who was practically buzzing with power ‘kun’. Just Gaara would have to be fine.

‘Just Gaara’ had slowly dawned a look of poorly hidden horror the closer he drew to Rock Lee and they were nearly nose to nose when he whispered brittly, “It’s impossible!”

“I can’t leave you two alone for ten minutes!”

Lee tried and failed to hide the giant breath of relief he let out as Ameno reappeared at the office door. With a flick of her wand she lit the lamps in the room and both boys blinked rapidly, noticing perhaps for the first time that they had been conversing by moonlight. Rock Lee stepped casually back from Sabaku no Gaara as the medi witch drew closer, a small potion bottle held in her wandless hand.

“Here, Gaara-san,” she said, passing the bit of painted glass to the redhead, “Drink up.” She watched him down the whole thing in one go and then turned her head to her other patient, brown hair piled up on the top of her head. “And  _ you  _ need to go straight back to bed, Lee-san.”

Lee’s eyes bugged at the thought of returning to his cold and empty bed in the cold and empty infirmary and he immediately began to protest. He wasn’t tired. Ameno-sensei could use some help. Who would watch Gaara? Certainly there was something he could do!

“It’s not about being tired, I’m sure I can manage alone, Gaara is a big boy, and you need rest,” Ameno batted away all his excuses, kind face looking sorry for the fourth year as he shifted his weight uncomfortably. “Come along, Lee.”

“But-!

"I'll come over later," Gaara offered suddenly, not looking at either Ameno or Lee. He was back in the chair Lee had found him in, though now he sat straight and proud, eyes trained on the full moon outside. "If you want."

"You will?"

"Yes.” The redhead shifted his eyes to catch his classmate in a cool gaze. “Now go. You're noisy and it’s giving me a headache.”

“Yosh!” Lee bowed low at his waist, the sudden movement making his head spin a bit as he made to exit. “I will see you later then!”

* * *

When the gangly teen was gone through the door and the sound of his bare feet slapping the tile faded, Ameno turned back to Gaara, an interested sort of smirk curving her lips. She held out her hand palm up and the werewolf dropped the now empty bottle of wolfsbane into it. “That was kind of you, Gaara-san. I do not think Lee-san likes spending the night alone.”

The boy made no comment on the matter, instead refocusing his attention outside as a lone howl split the night. Kankuro was somewhere out there wreaking havoc on some poor bunnies he was sure. The witch hummed lightly and turned to leave again, having only returned when she remembered she had to give Gaara his monthly treatment. When she was at the door, her face turned out into the darkness, she threw a benign smile over her shoulder.

“You’re kinder than you let on I think.”

She disappeared with a  _ ‘crack _ !’ and Gaara settled further down into his seat. Somewhere beyond the door he could hear Rock Lee’s excited heart thumping away, nowhere near ready to sleep yet. However, the redhead had lots to think about and did not fancy his classmate prodding him about it. When Lee drifted off he would go sit beside him, but for now he would wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOUSES at the Mahoutokoro School of Magic :  
> Toppuu (Head of House: Rasa || Prefects: Temaro + Zaku)  
> Seiran (Head of House: Tsunade || Prefects: Tenten + Neji)  
> Yomasu (Head of House: Iruka || Prefects: ??? +???)  
> Shunrai (Head of House: Kakashi || Prefects: ??? + ???) 
> 
> more to come...


	2. Chapter 2

Rock Lee was finally discharged from the infirmary three days later when he could swallow down solid food without wincing. Ameno-sensei checked the healing from his surgery one more time, declared him fit, and shooed him away, laughing goodnaturedly as the fourth year continued to bow and thank her for all her hard work. He was bright and happy with enthusiasm, already looking forward to rejoining his friends out in the general school public. 

He ran quickly towards the Grand Hall, skidding to a stop when he nearly plowed right into Sabaku no Gaara. The two boys both seemed to startle at seeing each other again so soon, but Gaara was quick to regain composure. At his side, a large boy in Lee’s year loomed, paint covering his eyes and forehead. Sabaku no Kankuro.

“Lee,” Gaara greeted with a tiny dip of his chin, “You’re out of the infirmary.”

“Yes, Ameno-sensei released me today,” Lee explained, shooting no less than two furtive glances at Kankuro before turning to bow politely. “Pleased to meet you! I am Rock Lee of house Yosamu!”

Kankuro shot his little brother a bemused look before dipping his own chin. “Yo,” he greeted, “Kankuro. I’m in Toppuu just like Temari and the pipsqueak.”

Lee ignored the dismissive nickname and instead took time to note that Kankuro’s robes were a deep red color, well on their way to gold, but not quite so advanced as his siblings. Truth be told, Toppuu and Yosamu fourth years shared Potions together with Asuma-sensei and the larger boy seemed disturbingly adept with poisons. Lee nodded politely and turned his eyes back to Gaara who was watching the exchange almost like his life depended on it.

“I am glad you are also feeling better,” he offered, not directly meeting the shorter boy’s eyes when they turned back to him. “I was worried for you.”

“Nah, no need!” Kankuro boosted, slapping a large hand down on his brother's shoulder. It made a noise almost like two boulders colliding and Lee noted how Gaara didn’t even flinch. “We werewolves are pretty damn tuff.”

“I’ll meet you at breakfast,” Gaara hissed, effectively dismissing his brother who only scoffed and sauntered off with a cocky air. Lee watched him go and marveled at how two siblings could be so different. What was Temari like? “Sorry about him, he has no manners.”

“That’s what Ameno-sensei said about you,” the fourth year noted lightly, turning back to the redhead. Gaara only blinked at him as if he were above shrugging. Lee chuckled awkwardly. “I do not think you or your brother are so bad.”

“Well, you don’t know us very well.”

The hall around them was empty, everyone having already made their way to the Grand Hall, so it was surprising when a tall lean man appeared from around a far corner. Lee noticed him first since he was approaching from behind Gaara and he tilted his head curiously. He had seen this professor before, but only now with the comparison right in front of him did he notice the man’s stark resemblance to Gaara. Furthermore, the shade of his hair seemed very similar to Kankuro’s and his face was fine and sharp not unlike Temari’s.

“Is that your father?” the Yosamu student whispered causing his companion to tense visibly, though he did not turn around. Lee watched as an unreadable array of emotions crossed over Gaara’s face before they were replaced by a cool mask of indifference. Cerulean eyes assessed him coldly, but before Lee could ask if the younger boy was alright a sharp voice sounded behind him.

“Rock Lee, detention next week,” Sabaku no Temari announced, appearing seemingly from thin air at the younger boy’s shoulder. Lee jumped and turned to find himself staring directly into the Toppuu prefect’s eyes. “For being late to breakfast. Gaara, you too.”

“Oh no, please, senpai!” Lee beseeched, whole face red with embarrassment as he bowed low to the blonde girl. “It is my fault Gaara-san is running late, please do not punish him!”

“A double detention to cover for him then,” Temari mused before turning on her heel towards the Grand Hall. “Get a move on you two!”

When Lee straightened up Gaara was already chasing after his sister and the mysterious professor was gone. He sighed belatedly realizing he would have to explain to his father why he wasn’t available to help with the magical creatures next week. No doubt he would be tasked with performing a slew of other chores as penance. He tried not to let this dampen his mood as he hurried to breakfast. 

* * *

"You haven't come by the infirmary in the past few months, Gaara-san," Ameno noted as way of greeting.

The youngest Sabaku sibling barely seemed to acknowledge this as he sat still on the opposite side of the medi witch’s desk. “I didn’t need to.”

“Have you found someone else to brew your potion?” she prodded, dipping her head to one side curiously. Her hair was in a high ponytail tonight, her wand stuck through the band of it. “I certainly hope you haven’t taken to running around the woods like your brother. It’s dangerous.”

"No."

“What then?”

“I just haven’t needed any help,” the thirteen year old insisted, voice sounding nearly petulant but not quite. “I haven't been...shifting recently. I don’t need the potions anymore.”

“Are you quite sure, Gaara?” Ameno continued to prod, tone growing more serious and concerned the longer he resisted transparency. Gaara was not the first werewolf in her office and he hopefully wouldn’t be the last, but he was by far the most shy shape shifter she had ever met. Even Temari and Kankuro were more open with their struggles controlling the change when they first arrived at Mahoutokoro. “Total control at your age is nearly impossible, not even your sister managed it.”

“Temari also didn’t spontaneously bond with any of her classmates.”

“Ah.”

Ameno’s response seemed entirely unsatisfactory to Gaara as he slumped down in his chair. The medi witch could sympathize. Soul bonding within the werewolf community was an extremely sensitive and private matter usually never even mentioned to people outside of one’s pack. However, there were some unusual instances where a wolf bonded with a human which could cause an excessive amount of trouble for all involved. This seemed to be the situation Gaara was hinting at and Ameno felt doubly bad for him when she remembered his father skulking around the palace as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Sabaku no Rasa was as prejudiced as he was arrogant and Ameno couldn’t imagine the hell he would rain down when he found out his precious prodigy son had bonded with a human.

“I am sorry you are in this situation, Gaara-san,” she assured, sitting back in her own seat as the young boy looked back at her dazedly. “Who’s the student?”

Gaara’s face went from blank to steely and the medical witch could almost see the walls and barriers building up behind his eyes. She sighed at him. She tried to coax, "I'm not asking this for curiosity's sake, you know that. This is going to be part of your medical record now."

The boy tucked his head and mumbled something unintelligible to his chest. Ameno gently asked him to repeat it and he spat out a familiar name that gave her pause. “Really? Huh.”

"Don't tell him," Gaara requested, not meeting her eye. "Not yet."

"Of course. That's your responsibility, not mine. But he needs to know, Gaara-san, for his safety and yours. Does Temari know? Kankuro?” Gaara’s lips remained stubbornly sealed as he nodded his head. “Good. Your father?

"No!" The young wolf denied vehemently, the closest thing to fear that he could manage flashing through his eyes. Ameno saw then that the third year was already at least somewhat attached to his intended and knew that only bad things could happen once his father knew the truth. She folded her hands in front of her delicately, fixing her monthly visitor with a serious eye.

“Good. Let’s keep it that way.”

* * *

“You don’t look like someone who’s about to start their vacation,” Temari commented, sharp eyes gazing into her baby brother’s very soul as they made their way off the ship. The journey from Minami Iwo Jima never sat right with Gaara or Kankuro, but this year the younger boy seemed especially glum with the proceedings. 

“Why can’t we just apparate?” the redhead grouched.

“ _ You _ throw up every time,  _ Kankuro  _ is just waiting to get splinched, and  _ I  _ am not legally allowed to do it outside of school or dad’s office yet,” the blonde prefect listed as they each levitated their trunks to make their way down the gangplanks. They always disembarked by house and Toppuu was first every year. 

Gaara grumbled irately when they were back on solid ground, the bustling of the crowd all around them souring his mood even more. Somewhere their grandmother was waiting to cart them home, Rasa not planning to be back from the palace until mid-July. He was just about to ask Temari the old woman’s whereabouts when a head of shiny black hair caught his attention. 

"What’re you looking at?" Kankuro asked, resting an elbow on Gaara’s shoulder at an angle that dug into the younger wizard’s neck painfully. Oddly enough his little brother didn’t react and the middle child of the family took a moment to actually track his gaze. Still on the ship, waving from the bow, was a tall man with a hideous bowl cut, and a boy from Kankuro’s class who looked nearly identical to him.

“Oh,” Temari noticed, “Is that him?”

Gaara finally found the wherewithal to knock his brother’s arm off and glanced nervously back up at the boy on the boat. “Yes.”

“He’s Gai-sensei’s son,” she noted, recognizing the older man as her Care for Magical Creatures professor. “How cute.”

“Fuck, you sure know how to pick ‘em,” Kankuro mumbled, “Isn’t that guy basically a squib?”

“No,” the eldest child corrected, placing a preemptive hand on Gaara’s shoulder to calm him when he turned to glare at his brother. “He’s just not super talented with magic. He’s a good professor though. Dad hates him.”

"Oh, right on."

“Dad doesn’t like Maito Gai?” Gaara questioned, totally ignoring Kankuro’s mild praise.

“Nope, says he’s too friendly to muggles and half-bloods. I’m not positive, but I think Lee’s mother may have been a muggle.”

“I’ve never asked.”

Temari turned to her other brother. “Lee’s in your year. What do you know about him?”

Kankuro had grown bored with the conversation long ago and was squinting through the crowd trying to find their grandmother. He had his hands laced behind his head as he glanced back at them and shrugged. "Not much. He's loud. A bit clumsy, but I guess he can be clever. He hangs out with Tenten and that weird Hyuga kid."

“Hinata?”

“Neji.”

“They’re both in Seiran,” Temari noted with a curious lilt to her voice, “I wonder how that group formed.”

“Dunno,” Kankuro sighed, “They’re weird, but not as bad as that Uzumaki kid in Gaara’s year. Always getting detention and shit-”

"Does Lee know?"

The question cut Kankuro off at the knees and he turned to the youngest of them, also curious for the answer. Gaara had told his siblings pretty immediately when he realized he’d bonded to Rock Lee, but conversations on the topic had been few and far between since. Even in a palace as big as Mahoutokoro there was no telling who may be listening at the exact moment you didn’t want them to be. And while it was beyond obvious that none of them had any intentions of telling their father, that didn’t mean Gaara wouldn’t want to cue in the object of his affections. 

"Of course not."

"Thank goodness." Temari brushed her blonde bangs out of her face and noticed a slumped form approaching with long white hair tossed into a bun. “There’s grandmother Chiyo. We probably shouldn’t tell her either.”

Gaara’s stony silence spoke of enthusiastic agreement and he turned away from Lee as Kankuro went to greet their grandmother properly. There was a knot in the redhead’s gut and he looked up at his sister worriedly. “What am I supposed to do now?”

His sister just shrugged her shoulders, pretty face unmarred with worry even though she was a frequent worrier. She smirked sharply at her youngest sibling and poked a finger to his forehead. “Lay low and consider smiling more. Lee won’t like a prickly cactus.”

* * *

“Are you feeling alright my precious protege?” Maito Gai asked Lee as they moved away from the railing of the ship. They were not disembarking, they lived in a cabin on the school grounds, they just enjoyed making the trip back and forth at the start and end of every term. 

“Of course!”

"Excellent! I am so glad you are still enjoying my beloved alma mater! Though Koldovstoretz would have been a splendid alternative, my heart swells knowing you are walking the same halls I did at your age!” Gai’s eyes were quickly filling with emotional tears and Lee rushed to reassure him.

“I love Mahoutokoro!” he enthused, ready to pledge his dedication to finishing his education there when he noticed two people approaching them. “Gaara-san?”

“Temari-san!” Gai greeted enthusiastically, immediately recognizing one of his star students. “It is so good to get a chance to see you before the break!”

“Hello, Gai-sensei,” the fifth year greeted with a polite bow, “Is Lee-san your son? I never knew!”

“Yes!” Gai made quick work of yanking Lee in front of him, displaying him for the whole world to see. “Lee is my beloved offspring and the legacy I shall leave behind when I reach the twilight of my life! He is very dear to me and I hope he will one day match your magical prowess!”

Temari smiled into Lee’s face; he was tall for his age. He didn’t seem to blush or shrink under his father’s over exaggerated praise, instead beaming with the attention and aiming a delighted thumbs up their way. Just behind her shoulder, Gaara whined. “I’ve heard about you from my brother. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

"Yes, thank you." Rock Lee bowed politely. “Gaara kept me company in the infirmary while I recovered.”

Gaara didn’t acknowledge the coy look Temari shot him, but instead was immediately accosted by Gai’s overzealous thanks. The tall man bowed his head nearly to the deck of the ship at the redhead’s feet. “Thank you so much for helping my son!”

“Er...it was nothing-”

“Nonsense! Friends are the flowers that bloom within the springtime of our youth and I am sure Lee is honored that you have found your way to his garden!”

Now Lee did look a little embarrassed and Temari decided to save them all from any further akwardness. "Gaara and I need to leave now unfortunately," she apologized, "Our grandmother has set up a portkey for us, and I don’t want to keep her and my brother waiting."

Gai bowed again, thanked Gaara again, and told Temari it had been a delight to have her in his class before giving the younger people some time to say their goodbyes. Off in the distance, the teens could hear him trying to pester Kakashi-sensei into a friendly duel before he departed for the summer.

"Too bad we can't stay and talk, Lee, but I'm sure we'll have more opportunities in the future. Perhaps you and Gaara could write each other over the summer.”

Lee balked at Temari, quite taken aback by her boldness. Her brother chose that moment to conveniently shift his weight so that he was practically hidden behind her. “Oh, um, of course! I would greatly enjoy hearing from Gaara-kun!”

“Excellent,” the prefect enthused, turning rather suddenly to depart with Gaara trailing right behind her. “See you next term!”

Lee watched them go bemusedly, noticing when they were long gone that he still had his thumb outstretched. Gai found him when they were just about to set sail back to Minami Iwo Jima. The broad man bumped his son's shoulder lightly, thick brows furrowed in quesi-concern.

"Is there something you haven't been telling me, son?" he asked Lee, confused at the exchange with the Sabaku siblings. His son shook his head fervently. 

"No, I think Temari-san and Gaara-kun were just trying to be nice.” 

“That’s good then,” Gai mused, heading towards the mast of the ship so that they could view their coming journey head on. “Ready to go home?”

“Yosh!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLASSES- Professor:  
> Astronomy - Gamabunta  
> Charms - Iruka  
> Defense Against the Dark Arts - Rasa  
> Herbology - Yamato  
> Transfiguration - Kakashi  
> History of Magic - Kurenai  
> Potions - Asuma  
> Arithmancy - Jairaya  
> Care of Magical Creatures - Maito Gai  
> Divination - Hiashi Hyuga  
> Muggle Studies - Izumo  
> Study of Ancient Runes - Tsunade


	3. Chapter 3

Gaara glanced from face to face over all the students in the Grand Hall, paying particularly close attention to the Yosamu table. Up front there was a foreign wizard discussing some tragic battle that had occured at the close of the last school year at another wizarding school. Gaara wasn’t sure what the issues of Wizarding Britain had to do with all of them in Japan, but he sat through the drudgery regardless. However, he kept an eye out for Lee and got more and more annoyed the longer he went without spotting him in the crowd.

He troubled himself to look towards the Seiran table, remembering Lee’s closest friends were in that house, but he was not there either. Gaara spotted Tenten and Neji talking lowly amongst themselves at the head of their table, prefects this year. Both seemed totally unconcerned with the absence of their usual third wheel. Gaara gave up the hunt and tried to look attentive for the rest of whatever this was. There was no way he’d be able to leave early without being noticed and whatever the pale wizard was talking about seemed very serious. Beside him Kankuro was snoring and Temari was standing at the head of their house table beside Zaku Abumi.

Rock Lee’s absence gnawed at him; unsettled his equilibrium. It had all summer, the distance between him and the other boy leaving him feeling woozy and weak, especially during the full moon. His father had been horribly suspicious, but Temari assured the alpha of their pack that it was just a bug Gaara had picked up from school. A common occurrence when spending so much time around filthy humans Rasa had ascertained. His right hand beta, Baki, had wholeheartedly agreed and they and several other members of the pack had spent the rest of the summer shooting snide remarks Gaara’s way. 

It was a small price to pay to keep the truth of the matter well hidden. Gaara’s siblings had run themselves nearly ragged trying to cover for him as the moon moved leisurely through its phases, but the rest of the Sunagakure pack seemed to have very little interest in what their leader’s offspring were getting up to. In fact they had all seemed terribly preoccupied with some matter that not even Temari was allowed to be in the know about. The secretiveness made Gaara feel nervous, but what didn’t? The redhead tried to put the whole matter from his mind to focus on his predicament with Lee. What was more Baki had firmly told him to keep his nose out of the matter when questioned.

When the announcement (ceremony?) finally ended, Gaara waited just long enough for food to appear and the prefects to sit before he was up and making a beeline towards the Seiran table. Up front he could hear Maito Gai’s booming voice and wondered how the man was not more concerned about his son’s whereabouts.

“Have you seen Lee?” he asked Tenten, interrupting her halfway through a stick of dango so that she had to cough and choke over her bite. The Hyuga next to her didn’t even look up from his miso.

“He left early,” she managed at last, cheeks pink and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, “He’s probably at his house.”

With a sigh and no bow of thanks, Gaara hurried from the Grand Hall, a familiar destination in mind. That Rock Lee lived with his father on school grounds year round was a bit of common knowledge Sabaku no Gaara had only just recently become privy to over the summer. During the year Lee stayed in the dorms like any other student but during breaks and weekends he could be found in a little cabin on the edge of the woods that he shared with Maito Gai. It was a quick enough journey and before he could even notice that the dreadful knot in his stomach was loosening every step closer he moved, Gaara was picking through Gai’s garden, careful not to step on any plants as he approached Lee.

Lee had his back to the palace and was stroking lightly at a young thestral that had apparently wandered out of the forest. There was likely a herd nearby passing through. The now fifth year Yosamu student pet the macabre thing’s head lightly and fed it bits of grass from his palm. If he heard or sensed Gaara approached, he made no move to acknowledge him. The redhead hadn’t ended up writing to him over the summer though he had nearly attached a letter to Tobimaru’s leg over a dozen times.

"You weren't at the announcement just now."

Lee shrugged, an oddly quiet gesture for his usually loud personality and fed a bit more grass to the foal. “My father told me about the Battle of Hogwarts over the summer and I did not think I would be missed. I hate sad stories.”

“Is it sad?”

“Several students and teachers died fighting a powerful dark wizard. It seems very sad to me.” Gaara acknowledged, not for the first time, that Lee seemed to have a very soft heart. Personally, the redhead couldn't care less about some strangers nearly halfway around the world, but he supposed not everyone was as callous as he and his siblings. “Plus war makes me think of death, and I hate those thoughts.”

The baby thestral whinnied as if insulted since his whole being was dependent on thoughts of death. Gaara eyed the creature warily from his spot standing guard just over Lee’s shoulder. “Who did you see…?”

“My mother,” the young man sighed, straightening to his full height when the upsetting creature finally had its fill and headed back towards the treeline. It made sense suddenly why his surname was Lee and not Maito. “You?”

“My mother.”

The two stood in companionable silence for a time and Gaara noted internally that this was the closest he had been to Rock Lee in several weeks. The warmth off his body eased over Gaara’s side and he shivered though the air was not cold. Lee glanced at him from the corner of big round eyes and smiled. From his pocket he pulled an embroidered handkerchief and his wand. Gaara was a bit surprised, he had never seen Lee’s wand before, and watched in bemusement as he charmed the bit of fabric to grow far larger. He tossed the would-be blanket around Gaara’s shoulders.

“There,” he stated proudly, “Now you shouldn’t shiver.”

“Thank you, senpai.”

The title was meant as a joke and it seemed to nearly land as one. Lee barked a short, startled laugh and his face and ears grew red all of a sudden. He fiddled with his wand momentarily before shoving it back in his pocket and giving the younger boy a short bow, bangs falling over his forehead. “You’re welcome!”

Gaara studied the flush across the other boy’s cheeks, very interested in the way his usually tan skin grew dark and crimson under his attention. His hair was inky black in the nighttime and Gaara imagined that if the clouds moved just right, moonlight would bounce off the bowl cut. He enjoyed his observations a moment more before grabbing the blanket off his shoulders and tossing it over Lee instead. The taller boy frowned.

“But-”

“I don’t need it,” the younger wizard insisted, face stoic when his classmate shot him a skeptical look. “Werewolves have naturally high internal temperatures.”

The laugh Lee let out this time was louder and longer, his head thrown back as he placed a hand to his forehead. Gaara watched him bemusedly, not sure why he would take the bit of information as a joke. It took the taller teen a few moments to calm down, by the end of which his face was red again and he was wiping futilely at his eyes.

“Forgive me!” he gasped, still trying to talk around giggles, “Forgive me, but I...I forgot you were a werewolf!”

The redhead wasn’t sure whether to be amused, touched, concerned, or angry. For as proud as his family, especially his father, were about their wolf heritage, the reputation of werewolves was still a delicate matter in Wizarding Japan. Gaara’s father was the first werewolf to ever be on the Mahoutokoro staff and Temari had been the first to walk it's halls as a student. All over the world there were still special schools that educated and housed only werewolf children, preferring to keep them separate from the general public. Gaara was nearly positive his father only had them going here to show off their superior skills with magic to serve as an example of why wolves were better than everyone else. 

That Lee could forget this sordid history as well as all the dangers that were associated with werewolves was all at once infuriating and...oddly endearing. Because in Gaara’s mind that simply meant Lee did not see him as a threat or a monster, but rather as just a regular classmate. It was touching in a way and Gaara found himself smirking just slightly as Lee finally managed to get the last of his chuckles under control.

“Forgive me,” he coughed again, face still split with a handsome grin, “I don’t know why I found that so funny. I meant no disrespect.”

There was a distant shout and the two boys turned. At the entrance of the palace Maito Gai was waving frantically, calling them to come back inside. Lee waved back as well as shouted an exuberant  _ ‘Coming _ !’ before turning wide eyes back to Gaara. The fourth year assured he’d be along in a moment and watched the other boy sprint off to rejoin the start of year festivities. Somewhere in the castle Termari was probably worried sick and beyond irritated trying to figure out where he’d gone. Kankuro likely hadn’t even noticed he was gone.

He took a bit more time to himself, the sun now long gone beyond the towering palace. The only light out this close to the forest was Maito Gai’s cabin and the redhead dared to peak a glance inside through one of the windows. The space was small but cozy. Magically expanded so that the inside far outmatched the outside, but still modest. Little trinkets covered every surface and Gaara could spot traces of lee tucked into the corners. The whole place exuded a warmth and love that Gaara’s own home was greatly lacking even with Temari and Kankuro skulking around. He was suddenly very jealous of Rock Lee’s life and stepped away from the cabin irately. 

As he made to stomp his way back through the garden and towards the palace he felt a prickling on the back of his neck, like a cool breath being blown across the baby hairs there. He spun, wand at the ready, and was met with the piercing eyes of Hinata Hyuga. The choppy haired girl was crouched down behind a pile of firewood and her languid lavender eyes were hazy and distant. The Hyuga’s were old magic and were well known for their skills with Divination. Hiashi-sensei was a strict and serious professor, not liked by many, but it was clear he and every other member of his family truly had The Sight.

Hinata was small and frail and notoriously nervous when spoken to directly so Gaara was more than a little surprised to watch as she straightened up and took a few staggering steps toward him, her gaze still unfocused and far off. He lowered his wand, but only just. The fourth year girl’s robes were darker than Rock Lee’s but not a stunning gold like her cousin’s. She was no real threat. She was practically right on top of him, her navy eyelashes fluttering rapidly, before she spoke.

She whispered, “You’ll only hurt him you know.”

Gaara’s blood ran cold. The warm night air suddenly grew thick and smothering. He raised his wand again. “What?”

“If you want Rock Lee his blood will have to spill in the halls of Mahoutokoro,” she clarified, turning her head to speak directly into his ear, a thin hand reaching up to grasp at his robes. “It’s the only way.”

“Stop it, Hinata-san!” Gaara knocked his classmate’s wrists away and at once the girl seemed to come back to herself, squeaking in surprise at the rough touch. She blinked confusedly at the Toppuu student, face growing an alarming shade of red as she went to backtrack away from him.

“G-Gaara-san!” she stammered, bowing her head lowly to him, tiny fingers fiddling in front of her chest. “Please forgive me! I was having a vision and I don’t know what I-”

“You said if I want to be with Lee I’ll have to hurt him,” the redhead hissed over her, stalking her back towards the woodpile as she tripped and scurried to escape, “Is that true?!”

“I-I don’t know what I said!” she assured, trying and succeeding to make herself look small, finally just falling to her knees to bow more completely to the intimidating boy in front of her. “I’m sorry if I upset you!”

Gaara watched her cowering there and suddenly felt very tired. He imagined Lee seeing him bully someone as shy and harmless as Hinata Hyuga and felt sick with himself. He placed his wand slowly back into his robe pockets and took two deliberate steps back to give the girl her space. It wouldn't do to frighten her anymore and have the entire Hyuga family bidding for a battle. She had lost time during her vision, it wasn’t her fault. He dipped his head in a quick, unfinished bow.

“Forgive me,” he grit out, heart still hammering at the thought of Lee injured at his hand, “You just startled me.”

The young girl picked her head up bemusedly, seeming just as surprised as Gaara that he was apologizing. Feeling awkward and embarrassed himself, the redhead motioned for her to stand and she complied, still keeping her shoulders hunched high as if expecting a hex. The two stood there staring at each other for a quiet moment, the light out of Maito Gai’s cabin illuminating them. It was getting a bit late.

“I should-”

“About Lee-”

They both paused tensely, having spoken at the same time. Gaara insisted she go first with a slight tilt of his copper head. Hinata seemed just as timid as ever as she started again. “I didn’t know that you...and Rock Lee,” she murmured, eyes cast towards his feet as they shifted back and forth. “He’s a very nice boy-”

“He doesn’t know that I…” Gaara couldn’t finish the sentence because he didn’t know what he wanted to say. He glanced towards Hinata’s face and she wore an oddly understanding look, nodding for him to go on as he gathered his thoughts. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

He could and should have made it more of a threat, there was no way the Seiran student could deny him, but he didn’t want to. Hinata Hyuga seemed like she would be very easy to intimidate; so easy in fact that doing so would be a show of poor character and unmanly on Gaara’s part. Instead he decided to attempt to be nice about the whole thing and hope the girl's reputation of being sweet and caring could carry over to someone like himself.

“Oh, I’d never!” she insisted immediately, face less red now and eyes wide with honesty. “I swear I can keep a secret! Shall I tell you who I have a crush on so that we’re even?”

“No,” Gaara assured, already knowing just like everyone else in the palace that the girl was madly in love with Uzumaki Naruto. “No it’s alright, just...you’ll tell me won’t you? If you see anything bad happening to Lee?”

“I’ll try,” Hinata murmured lowly, head tilted to the side as she seemed to study the boy in his entirety for the first time. “I’m not very good at remembering my visions though. Cousin Neji is better.”

Gaara could have guessed as much, but nodded his thanks nonetheless. This night had turned out to be far more interesting than any of his other returns to Mahoutokoro and he was anxious now to return to his dorms and put it behind him if Temari would allow. He bid Hinata a brief goodnight, putting aside any lessons on edicate that said he should accompany her back to the palace, and made a swift escape. Her words about Rock Lee’s blood being spilled for them to be together haunted his every step, but he just had to hope that the girl was not as gifted with Divination as the rest of her family. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WANDS
> 
> Gaara: yew with a unicorn hair core; stiff  
> Lee: cypress with a phoenix feather core; whippy  
> Temari: vine with a dragon heartstring core; supple  
> Kankuro: holly with a horned serpent horn core; very flexible  
> Gai: fir with a curupira hair core; pliant  
> Tenten: hawthorn with a Veela hair core; swishy  
> Neji: elm with a white river monster spine core; solid  
> Rasa: yew with a rougarou hair core; brittle


	4. Chapter 4

Rock Lee was tucking into his breakfast with his usual verve when the mail arrived. A symphony of hawk and crow cries filled the air and the other students of Mahoutokoro perked up with anticipation of possibly receiving a letter from home. Lee had never had reason to receive a letter since his father worked and lived on the school grounds, still the novel experience seemed fun and like a staple of going to a wizarding school and he’d often wished he’d had someone who could send him a letter some time.

As if manifested by the teen’s secret desires alone, a young hawk suddenly flopped down right in front of Lee, a small package attached to its skinny leg. It looked like no more than a common buzzard, but Lee wasn’t very knowledgeable about bird species and so could only guess. A glance towards the head table revealed that Gai was not watching him in anxious anticipation of him opening the surprise gift so it stood to reason that the parcel had been sent by someone else.

Lee dropped the riceball he had been mid-bite into and helped the mysterious bird to relieve itself of its burden. The box was only about the width of Lee’s palm and there was a card attached discreetly to the back of it. Knowing good manners always indicated card before gift, Lee ripped the envelope open, glancing briefly at the hawk that had not departed yet. Inside the bit of folded paper was neat, elegant kanji that was not familiar to the fifth year at all.

_ Dear Rock Lee, _

_ I realized I’d never seen you receive any mail and so figured you and your father must speak face to face everyday. I thought it may be a nice change of pace for you to receive something special. What’s more, no man can truly call himself a wizard if he does not have a messenger hawk he can trust with his correspondence. This little guy just hatched at our family estate and there’s been no takers since we prefer falcons. Feel free to name him anything you want and begin having him make deliveries for you. _

_ Regards, _ _   
_ _ Sabaku no Temari _

_ P.S. Don’t eat all the sweets at once. _

A quick peak inside the box revealed it was filled with manju and Lee felt his mouth watering before he quickly glanced around. Across the hall at the Toppuu table Sabaku no Temari was sitting between her brothers, blonde hair pulled back into two spiky tails. She was laughing at something Kankuro had said when suddenly her dark eyes cut across the room and caught Lee in their depths. The younger boy blushed for reasons unknown and sent what he hoped was a thankful wave in her direction. The sixth year just smiled and returned to her conversation, eyes bright as she began whispering to Gaara beside her.

“Aw, your dad sent you manju!” Tenten incorrectly guessed, having just finished reading a letter from her own parents. “No fair!”

“What’s with the red kite?” Neji asked dryly, his own grey goshawk perched on his shoulder proudly. 

“Oh, is that what species it is?” Lee fumbled, still perplexed by the whole affair as he glanced over Temari’s letter again. “I was not sure.”

“I’m glad you finally got a bird,” Tenten mused, petting her sparrowhawk gently down its back. “Now we can finally keep in touch over the summer. What’s his name?”

Lee contemplated this briefly as he watched his new little hawk hop across the table and start trying to snatch a taiyaki filled with red bean paste off Lady Hinata’s plate. Neji’s cousin did not look troubled by this, pushing her plate towards the fussy bird as she instead reached to simply grab a new one off the pile. Lee smiled brightly at the exchange and decided his companion’s name in that instant.

“His name is Adzuki!” 

* * *

_ Dear Temari, _

_ Thank you for the sweets and for the hawk! I have named him Adzuki for his affinity for red beans! I am very pleased with these gifts, but may I ask why you are giving them to me? Not that I am not grateful! Just confused. And I would like to give you something in return if you would let me! What snacks do you like? _

_ With many thanks, _ _   
_ _ Rock Lee _

* * *

_ Dear Lee, _

_ Gaara told me how you helped him during a shift last year and I just wanted to return the favor. You seem like a nice enough kid, even if you are in Yosamu. For snacks, I prefer salty things like senbei. My brothers have more of a sweet tooth. Gaara would never admit it but he loves honey toast. I’ve attached more sweets for you to try, let me know which you like best. _

_ Sincerely, _ _   
_ _ Temari _

* * *

“Asuma-sensei?”

“Ah, Lee-san, come in.” Asuma Sarutobi waved the gangly teen into the Potions room casually. He was a hulking man with soot colored hair and a pipe usually stuck between his teeth. He was a good Potions master. "I was wondering if you could keep an eye on these troublemakers for me. The prefects all have rounds and you're a trust-worthy sort.”

Lee noticed with a curious furrow of his brow the assemblage of disgruntled fourth years scattered around the room. Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Yamanaka Ino, and Sabaku no Gaara were all sat down at empty tables, gazes tossed about to far walls as if they were each simultaneously avoiding all the others’ eyes. Lee was most surprised to see Gaara in trouble since the boy usually seemed very diligent with his classwork.

“Naruto thought class was a good time to harass Sasuke to join the quidditch team,” Asuma started explaining in a grunt, already moving to gather his things, “Sakura didn’t appreciate the distraction to her own assignment and tried to jinx Naruto but hit Ino instead. Obviously Ino retaliated.”

“And Gaara-san?”

“Managed to get them all under control with a rather impressive knee-reversal hex, but hexes are  _ not allowed in class, Sabaku-san, _ ” the older wizard finished, pointedly raising his voice in Gaara’s direction. The redhead slouched further down in his seat and Lee stifled a chuckle behind the sleeve of his robes. “Just watch them until they finish their makeup assignment would you?”

“Yosh!”

The make up assignment was no more than completing the potion they’d botched in class. It was a rather simple Amortentia; Lee had tried and nearly succeeded in making it his fourth year and figured the younger students would finish it in no time. He watched curiously as they paired themselves off, Sakura attempting to sidle up to Sasuke before getting rebuffed and skulking back to Ino’s side. For as much as Sasuke and Naruto appeared to bicker, they rarely were seen outside the company of the other and Rock Lee found them to be a very interesting pair. Ino and Sakura seemed like they meant to complete the entire task without ever speaking a word to each other and though it was a cold and frigid sort of arrangement, it spoke of deep understanding when Sakura would hold out a hand and Ino would be right there to drop a ashwinder egg into it.

That only left Gaara.

The somber young man gathered his ingredients silently and then set up at a cauldron near the back of the room close to the door. While the others all worked together to perfect the love potion, the werewolf went at it alone and Lee found himself endeared by the way the redhead mumbled to himself over the instructions. He reasoned Asuma-sensei had said nothing about helping the fourth years and so made his way casually to Gaara’s table, round eyes fixed on his serious face.

“Do you need help, Gaara-kun?”

“Not really.”

“How about some company then?”

Gaara looked up then and was blessed with the sight of Lee shooting an enthusiastic thumbs up his way. The Yosamu couldn’t be sure, but he could have sworn the shorter boy smiled at him before gesturing for him to sit. Lee tripped into the high stool beside Gaara and watched as he checked over the potion instructions meticulously.

“Have you ever made Amortentia before?” he prodded just as a way to make some conversation. Up near the front of the room Sasuke and Naruto were bickering again.

“No, but it doesn’t seem too difficult,” Gaara mused, carefully prying thorns off of a blood red rose he had grabbed from the cabinets. “If Kankuro can do it, it can’t be that hard.

Lee chuckled awkwardly over his agreement, recalling how he had been unable to complete the assignment himself without creating a gelatinous and smelly mixture that Asuma-sensei had dubbed  _ “the opposite of a love potion”. _ Gaara was so naturally talented and smart, it probably never even crossed his mind that he may one day fail an assignment. That his robes would not always be the proud gold of an overachiever. Lee sniffed idly and glanced over at Sasuke. His robes were a pale yellow color, on their way to gold but not quite there yet. It obviously irked him. Naruto’s robes were black, transitioning out of their red stage slowly but surely. Sakura and Ino both wore matching shades of stoney grey, not nearly as far ahead of Naruto as they liked to act.

Lee couldn’t help being a little jealous of them all.

“Done.”

Gaara made the announcement seemingly out of habit with the classroom setting, but managed to pitch his voice low so only Lee heard. The fifth year perked up, not realising he had been daydreaming for so long, and took a moment to look over the potion. It had a distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen to it, and spiraling wisps of steam rose out of it like it was meant to be an illustration inside a potions textbook. The perfect brewing of Amortentia potion. 

“Well done, Gaara-kun!”

“How does it smell?”

“Oh.” Lee was a bit taken aback, his congratulations seemingly ignored as Gaara stared at him over the cauldron. “Well, you know it smells different for everyone.”

Gaara merely continued to make intense eye contact and so Lee conceded by leaning over the cauldron to take a deep sniff of it. He had no fear that the scent would be noxious or harmful like his own attempt, but he was quite curious as to what smell would be attractive to him. Amortentia had a distinct smell for every person that smelled it,  reminding them of the things that they found most attractive, even if they weren't aware of the attraction. When Kankuro had successfully brewed the potion in their fourth year, Lee had smelled the sweet aroma of cherry blossoms.

That wasn’t what he smelled now.

“Oh!” he noted cheerily, delighting in the new scent that assaulted his senses the further he leaned into the cauldron. Gaara was still watching him. “It smells like...dirt? Like from a garden maybe, and...honeysuckle? I am not good with flowers. And…” He giggled, “Wet dog.”

Gaara looked affronted.

“ _ That’s _ what you smell?”

“Yosh!” the older boy declared, brushing two knuckled across his nose idly. “Well done, Gaara, it seems very potent!”

“That can’t be right,” the redhead grouched, turning back to his textbook with a frown carved into his face. Lee moved around the table to read over his shoulder. Even with his nose nearly pressed into Gaara’s hair, the sweet smell from the potion still lingered. He wondered what it was.

“Well, what do you smell?”

The Toppuu student blinked at his senpai confusedly before yanking the small cauldron closer on the table. Pearly potion sloshed over the edge and Lee managed to swallow a warning to be careful as Gaara all but stuck his face in the cauldron. He could hear the boy's tiny nose sniffing from below the rim. He wondered if his sense of smell was heightened from being a werewolf.

“Well?”

Gaara didn’t respond, only pushed the potion away and began to clear his work area, eyes closed in apparent displeasure. Lee tried to stay out of his way, only piping up to remind him to bottle a sample of the potion for Asuma-sensei before he tossed the rest carelessly down the drain. Without a backwards glance, the fourth year left and Lee was stuck watching the other two teams fight for dominance for the rest of the hour.

* * *

_ Temari, _

_ I know you gave Lee the hawk. _

_ Gaara. _

* * *

_ Dear Gaara, _

_ You’re welcome for giving your bondmate a way to communicate with you when school’s out so that you don’t spend another summer sulking around Sunagakure. I’m sure it’ll be just as useful as this scarf I’m sending so that maybe you can sit out and watch Lee in a quidditch game sometime.  _

_ Love, _ _   
_ _ Temari _

* * *

“You shouldn’t feed him so much,” Gaara advised as a way of greeting one breakfast morning. Lee jolted, having not seen the redhead approaching his table until it was too late. “He’ll get too fat to fly.”

“Nonsense!” Lee assured, flicking another piece of rice dough into Adzuki’s waiting beak. “He works hard flying back and forth for me and deserves a reward! He works it all off anyway.”

“He’s just flying back and forth between you and my sister.” The fourth year invited himself to sit then, taking the empty seat beside Lee at the Yomasu table. Tenten and Neji were very busy with prefect duties these days, so it was rare for Lee to spend a meal away from his own house

Lee cast an all at once surprised and chagrined look at Gaara, cheeks going slightly pink as Adzuki nipped at his fingers. “So you know it was Temari who gave him to me. Is that alright?”

“She’s her own witch,” Gaara stated offhandedly, not really understanding the question. He glanced up and down the table and recognized no one. “She can do what she wants.”

“So can I!” Lee affirmed confidently, his loud voice frightening away no less than five hawks including his own. Gaara would have been embarrassed if he weren’t so confused.

“Yes…?”

“And I want to invite you to my quidditch match next week,” the taller boy explained, only looking at Gaara very briefly before he returned to his breakfast, half of it now gone along with his hawk. Gaara was glad for his minor distraction because he felt his face flush for possibly the first time in his life and didn’t want Lee to see.

“You know I already go to Kankuro’s games,” he floundered, trying to sound dismissive rather than startled, “I’ve seen you play before.”

“Yes, but you were there to see your brother. Next week our game is against Shunrai so your brother would not be playing.”

Gaara blinked owlishly at the other boy’s profile. “So I’d just be there to see...you?”

For the second time in as many months Gaara had a front row seat to a rush of blood pooling up from Rock Lee’s neck to splash over his cheeks and nose. The fifth year boy seemed to be unaware of his crimson face as he laughed loudly and shoved more food into his mouth, face looking almost turtle-like in it’s excitement.

“Yes!” he conceded around a mouthful of rice that went down one second later in what looked like a painful swallow. He finally turned fully to his companion. “If that is alright with you!”

“Sure,” Gaara agreed instantly, not quite used to Lee looking directly at him and/or making requests. “It’ll be cold, but...I have a scarf.”

“Excellent!” the Yomasu enthused, brandishing his chopsticks like a victory flag. “If that is not enough I will gladly lend you a coat!”

Before Gaara had time to process  _ that _ , Hiruzen-sama is waving them off to their first lessons of the day and Lee is halfway out of the hall. Gaara watched him go and only looked away from where he had just been when he felt another prickle on the back of his neck like the start of term. When he turned, his father was watching him from the head table. 


	5. Chapter 5

_ Dear Temari, _

_ I did as you suggested and invited Gaara to a match! I am so glad he accepted, but now I fear I am a bit nervous. My father, Tenten, and Neji come to all my games, but it will be different knowing Gaara is with them. I hope I do not disappoint him! Shunrai is a tough team with Naruto as one of their beaters. And I hear he has convinced Uchiha Sasuke to try out for the seeker position! _

_ Wish me luck! _ _  
_ _ Lee _

__

* * *

_ Dear Lee, _

_ Don’t be nervous! Gaara knows the basic rules of the game from watching Kankuro, but he won’t be able to tell a good move from a bad one. Just play your best! Uzumaki is pretty good, but it’s Nara you need to look out for. As for Uchiha, your team has a pretty good seeker with Aburame Shino, I wouldn’t be worried. _

_ Good luck! _ _  
_ _ Temari _

* * *

"That looks painful," Gaara noted dryly as he set his bag down beside Lee’s. The fifth year smiled up at him sunnily, clearly happy for the company as he began to scoot his study materials over on his bedding, bandaged arm held aloft like it was in danger of getting wet. Gaara waited for him to settle before taking a seat by his hospital bed, shocked at how often two people could meet in the same setting over and over. The infirmary was really starting to feel like ‘their spot’ to the redhead, between their first set of tense meetings and now this.

Once comfortable, Lee wiggled his fingers at the younger boy, wrappings stopping just below his first knuckle. “It is not so bad!” he assured. “Ameno-sensei is a skilled potions maker and the bones are stitching back together as we speak!”

Gaara’s mouth twitched ever so slightly. “That’s good to hear.”

“I am just embarrassed you saw me get injured during the match,” the older boy grouched, pink dusting his cheeks as he glanced away. 

Gaara blinked noncommittal, not really sure how he was meant to respond. It had not been his favorite thing to watch Lee’s arm get all but crushed by a bludger and Kankuro had had a grand ole’ time restraining him from rushing out onto the field. It had been immediate, the urge to rush and protect his bondmate as the fifth year shouted in pain, nearly tumbling off his broom as he made a quick descent to the ground. Teammates and teachers had rushed forth to help, but Gaara had growled and snapped as his brother dragged him from the bleachers, not wanting anyone to get near Lee while he was so vulnerable. It had been an...interesting match.

“Your team won at least,” he stated finally, noting how his gums and fingertips ached at the memory of his sibling dragging him away from Lee. “You played well.”

“Thank you!” the tall teen beamed, eyes squinted shut with the width of his smile. His visitor shifted uncomfortably, but made no move to leave. “I am so glad my team was still able to claim victory! I wish I could celebrate with them.”

Gaara dipped his chin lightly in understanding. Lee’s arm had been so shattered that a simple  _ Brakium Emendo _ would likely have done more harm than good, simply fixing together whichever bones were closest to each other beneath his bruised skin. No, Ameno had insisted he needed a night in the infirmary with regular diluted doses of Skele-Gro to make sure everything mended back into its proper place. Gaara had never tried the potion himself, but had heard it had a rather unpleasant taste.

“Thank you for stopping by, Gaara-kun,” the Yosamu student noted, settling back into his pillows comfortably, “But what brings you to the infirmary? Do you need to see Ameno-sensei?”

“It’s a full moon tonight.”

“Oh.” Sympathy and understanding crossed across Lee’s eyes and Gaara knew he was remembering their encounter last year. The older boy made as if to push himself up in bed and suddenly a grimace flashed across his face and his brow produced tiny beads of sweat. Gaara was hovering over him immediately.

“Are you in pain?”

“I am alright!” 

His face was green.

“Do you want me to get the medi-witch?”

The chaser shook his head fervently, bangs flopping about, but the redhead could see the way he eased his arm into his lap, pain lining his face in heavy strokes. Gaara was no stranger to other people’s pain, but seeing his bondmate choking back what looked like tears and nausea clawed at his insides and he moved a bit closer. Moving slowly so that the other boy had the chance to pull away if he wanted, Gaara laid his hand lightly atop Lee’s bandaged arm and they both watched as inking black lines started to twist up his hand and wrist. 

“It...feels better!” Lee noted in astonishment, bright smile once more aimed at his visitor. “What did you do?”

“I took some of your pain away,” Gaara offered, lowering himself back into his seat gently. The fourth year commended Lee; the pain now shooting up his arm was no laughing matter. He could feel it ebbing almost all through his body and realized his bondmate had been making light of what was apparently a very grievous injury. 

“Wow!” the patient mused, raising his arm in a slow testing motion. “I did not know werewolves could do that!”

The younger student shifted uncomfortably, suddenly very interested with the stitching on the edge of his robes. “We can’t...with everyone.”

Lee’s voice was light and friendly as he mused, “I must be very lucky then!”

Gaara glanced at him briefly from beneath thin lashes before he turned to the infirmary entrance expectantly. Lee followed his gaze, brow puckered in confusion, but smiled happily when three people walked through the door. Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru, and Sabaku no Temari all made their way to Lee’s bedside, the former two still wearing their Quidditch uniforms. A symphony of greetings was passed around before Naruto reached into his robes and pulled out a slightly squashed chocolate frog.

“Sorry about busting your arm, Bushy-Brows,” he said sheepishly, scratching at the back of his neck when Lee took the chocolate and bowed quickly. The card had Hashirama Senju on it.

“It is no trouble, Naruto-kun!” he insisted, “That is the way of the game!” He turned his too round eyes to Nara next and the sulky teen only shrugged, looking very put out with the whole mess.

He grouched, “Just here for moral support.”

Temari elbowed the younger boy out of her way rather aggressively and began flitting her hands all over Lee like a worried mother hen, questioning what potions Ameno had given him and when. The fifth year blushed with all the attention, but assured his senpai that he was feeling well and that Gaara was taking excellent care of him.

“I’m sure he is,” the girl mused, catching her brother in a coy look that Gaara struggled to not growl at. Temari was older than him and of higher standing in their pack. Not to mention much stronger than he was. Even during a full moon she could walk the castle casually. The sixth year lowered herself onto the edge of Lee’s bed near his feet like she meant to stay a while. She said, “It was a good game until you got hurt though!”

The four of them fell into conversation about Quidditch strategies and Gaara kept one hand just barely touching Lee’s on the edge of the bed, syphoning away any pain as it arose. 

* * *

Sabaku no Rasa was not a fan of much of the food they served at Mahoutokoro. It wasn’t out of the ordinary to see him picking disgustedly at his plate rather than eating most mornings. However, to see him not even sparing his meal a disparaging glance was a bit odd since he took every opportunity available to speak down about the school. Today though he just looked out over the students at their tables eating and talking loudly. In particular he was watching his eldest and youngest.

Gaara and Temari were sat together near the head of the Toppuu table, Temari needing to be near her fellow prefect and her brothers migrating to follow her. The two of them were bent together and talking lowly, ignoring the way Kankuro was stealing food off their plates. They had been at it for some time and Rasa could see the way his second son’s face was scrunched up in annoyance. When he was with his siblings, Gaara wore his emotions plain as day and Rasa had always tried to coach him to get that habit under control.

When the mail came the DADA professor noted how a small hawk he did not recognize dropped a package between his children. He suspected it was addressed to Gaara, but watched as Temari snatched it up and unwrapped it quickly, her claws flashing in the early morning light as she brushed her brother off easily when he tried to stop her. The two of them seemed to bickered about the contents of the package before the elder finally tossed it away, rolling her eyes as the redhead stored it away within his robes, clearly berating her all the while. 

Rasa continued to ignore his breakfast and the grating voice of Maito Gai beside him trying to start conversation to keep an eye on his offspring. The three of them remained rather unanimated for the remainder of the meal and when Headmaster Hiruzen dismissed them to classes the siblings departed as quickly as all the rest. However, unbeknownst to them, their father followed, blending into the rush of bodies that were hurrying through the halls towards his classroom. Gaara had him first after all. 

He followed his youngest at a distance, downwind from his sharp nose as he hurried to a less congested hall, hunched over whatever he had hidden away in his robes. Rasa watched in bemused as his son pulled out the package from breakfast, nose twitching as he opened the lid of the box. 

It was honey toast.

* * *

“Are you excited about Family Day?”

Lee’s question was just the last in a list of long nonsensical ones and Gaara paid it no special attention as he tore off another piece of honey toast from the box sitting between them. Both of their fingers were sticky sweet with honey and dusted with powdered sugar. He snorted lightly in the back of his throat.

He pointed out, “Both of our father’s work here and we see them everyday.”

The fifth year blinked almost like he had forgotten this fact before he smiled once more, face turned up towards the sun from their spot on the empty Quidditch pitch. “You do not have any extended family? Aunts and uncles?”

“My uncle died a long time ago,” Gaara huffed, not looking over to watch the way Lee’s face probably grew cloudy with sadness. “But the rest of our pack usually comes even though they are not related by blood.”

“How exciting! How do wolves choose who will be in their pack?”

“I suppose it depends on the alpha,” the redhead mused around a bite of toast, having never really put much thought into it himself. He thought about all the extended families from Suna that belonged to their pack and tried to find something in common with each. He thought of Baki. “I think...my father just wanted the strongest werewolves he knew running with us.”

“That is very interesting,” Lee hummed, voice sincere and open as he stretched out on the grass, robes open and flapping in the wind. Gaara thought they had grown a bit darker since the start of term, but couldn’t be certain. “How do you pick the alpha?”

“A fight to the death.”

The taller teen barked a startled laugh and turned to look at his companion expecting him to join in. When he did not, Lee‘s laugh died off and his face grew somber. The look didn’t suit him, but Gaara did not want to lie to him about the politics of werewolf life. He hoped one day to share  _ all  _ the aspects of it with the other teen and sugar coating the basics would serve neither of them. Still, he hated to see Lee without a smile.

“Well,” the other teen said suddenly, “I hope you never become an alpha then.”

Gaara stifled a snicker at the level of insult Rasa would derive from such a statement and joined Lee on the ground. The sky was clear. “Temari’s next in line anyway.”

“Do you think she could…?”

“We don’t talk about it much.”

“Did your father…”

“His father, yes.”

“I could never.” Lee’s voice was thick with emotion and when Gaara looked over he could see tears gathering in the older boy’s eyes at the mere thought of fighting Gai. He was too soft hearted to be a wolf. The redhead turned back to the sky.

“You won’t ever have to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quidditch teams
> 
> YOSAMU  
> Chasers - Rock Lee, ???, ???  
> Seeker - ???  
> Beaters - Choji, ???  
> Keeper -???
> 
> SHUNRAI  
> Chasers - Kiba, ???, ???  
> Seeker - Sasuke  
> Beaters - Naruto, Shikamaru  
> Keeper - ???
> 
> SEIRAN  
> Chasers - Tenten, Shino, ???  
> Seeker - ???  
> Beaters - ???, ???  
> Keeper - Neji
> 
> TOPPUU  
> Chasers - Ino, Zaku, ???  
> Seeker - Sai  
> Beaters - Kankuro, ???  
> Keeper - Haku


End file.
